Gov. Kate Brown takes Dem. primary, Bud Pierce gets GOP nom

Gov. Kate Brown easily clinched the nomination over a field of five lesser-known candidates in the Democratic primary for governor.

It marks Brown's first run for the governorship she inherited last year after her predecessor quit amid a federal investigation, and she was so confident she'd win the primary that she hardly campaigned.

Brown's Democratic rivals were an ICU physician, an environmental engineer, a home care worker, a Walmart employee and a truck driver.

I'm excited for this campaign and ready to talk about how we move Oregon forward! - kb

Political newcomer Bud Pierce, a Salem doctor, defeated four other candidates in the Republican primary.

Pierce's toughest primary opponent was businessman Allen Alley, who was the only candidate with political experience. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor in 2010.

Both Pierce and Brown are fighting to serve out the remaining two years of former Gov. John Kitzhaber's term - a post Brown assumed in February 2015 when Kitzhaber resigned amid influence-peddling allegations.